Another Alternative
by Still Waters
Summary: Another 'I didn't like the finale storyline so I wrote my own' story. I'm not ignoring all of it, just the parts that I really didn't like.
1. Chapter 1

_I watched the finale of some other show last night and commented that it was pretty good. Much better than the finale of HIMYM. I know some people loved the finale. I didn't. From what I've read, there are many others here that didn't either. Not true to the characters, disrespectful to fans who've come to like these characters. Others have expressed thoughts similar to mine much better than I could. In the end, it's not a life and death thing, but when my daughter told me to write my own ending if I didn't like that one, some little voice in my head said 'challenge, accepted!' _

_I've watched the show off and on for a couple of years now (and reruns of earlier seasons), so I hope you'll forgive me if there are errors. My first HIMYM fic, though I'm currently juggling several Avengers stories. I'm probably nuts for starting something else, but sometimes these things just won't leave me along._

Another Alternate Ending

Robin Scherbatsky sat on the balcony of her London flat, sipping at her drink. She thought about the conversation with her boss at WWN a few days ago. She had loved her work as a foreign correspondent. The constant newness of her life, the possible risks and new adventures had been something she had dreamed of for a long time.

But now, things were different. She was no longer content to be running from locale to locale from one day to the next. She was starting to dread the calls telling her to pack her bag for the next assignment. The excitement had worn thin.

And it had cost her far more than she had gained. She had drifted away from the people who had been her best friends, her family for over a decade. Their lives had gone one way while hers had gone another. In spite of the promises they had made, the time between calls and visits had gotten longer and longer. She still sent cards and gifts to the kids on their birthdays and kept their e-mailed photos in a special file on her computer.

A file she was looking through now. The Erickson kids were a study in contrast. Marvin and Daisy had both inherited Marshall's size, while baby sister Violet had her mother's petite build. Marvin and Violet both had their father's easy disposition. Daisy, though, was Lily in miniature when it came to attitude. She was feisty and spirited, the protector of her siblings and a major cause of frustration for her mother.

Penny and Luke Mosby were both a perfect mixture of Ted and Tracy, though, thankfully they were a bit more realists than their parents were, especially Penny. Robin remained amazed that the couple had maintained their positive outlook on life in spite of everything it had thrown at them, both before their meeting and in the time they had been together. Penny's premature birth and the complications she had faced were the sort of stresses that really tested even long time couples, but the newlyweds had stayed positive during the long hours spent in NICU. If ever two people had belonged together, it was Ted and Tracy.

And Ellie. She was beautiful. Robin smiled through her tears as she looked at the photos of Barney's two year old daughter. The toddler was the light of her father's life, her blonde curls and sparkling blue eyes leaving no doubt about her paternity. Her mother had decided shortly after the birth that she wasn't ready for motherhood and had granted Barney full custody before heading to Hollywood to make her fortune.

And Barney Stinson, the proud creator of 'Not a Father's Day', was fine with that. The man who had told her he never wanted kids, was fine with never having kids, had turned out to be a doting father.

Maybe it was a good thing for him that their marriage hadn't worked out. He would have never had that experience with her.

She had never completely understood what had happened between them, but when he had seemed so unhappy, she had to offer him the out. And somewhat to her surprise, he had taken it. She had honestly thought they could work through it. She had fought the temptation to beg, and had given him what he wanted.

And it still hurt like hell.

Which was part of what was making this decision so hard.

Her boss had an offer for her. A position had opened up back in New York. She would still be working with the international part of the network, but they had decided that her experiences made her ideal for an analyst position that they needed to fill.

While the thought of settling in one place again had an appeal, she wondered about going back. The old gang had changed. She had changed. As much as she loved and missed them, would she fit in with them as she once had? Or would she find herself on the outside looking in again? The old friend that they felt sorry for and let hang with them, but really didn't fit in anymore.

They all had someone. She had...

No one.

Though, she could probably get another dog or two. Or cats. Was she ready to become a crazy cat lady?

Of course, being in the same general area of the country didn't mean she'd necessarily spend time with them. They had busy lives involving their kids and her job would still keep her busy.

Unconnected.

She downed the rest of her drink, irritated with herself for the direction her thoughts were going.

'Maudlin thinking for your birthday, Scherbatsky,' she told herself. Another one all alone. Not even a card or an e-mail from any of the old gang. That was fine. She would be fine.

Her phone rang and she picked it up, smiling to see the name on the caller ID.

"Marshall!"

"Hey, Robin," he said, his voice sounding slightly strained.

She was instantly on alert. "What's wrong, Marshall?"

There was a moment of silence. "We've got a bit of a situation here and we need your help."

Her worry increased. "What is it? Is Lily okay? The kids? What do you need from me?"

"They're fine. Actually," he told her, "it's Barney."

"Barney," she repeated.

"Yeah. He and Ellie were in an accident a few days ago."

"And accident? What happened? Are they going to be okay?" she asked.

"Ellie is going to be fine," he told her. "Just a few bumps and bruises. Their cab was hit by a delivery truck. The cab driver was killed instantly."

She waited for him to continue, but he didn't. "And Barney?" she finally asked.

"He's in bad shape, Robin. He suffered a head injury and has been in a coma ever since."

She closed her eyes for a few moments, reminding herself that she had no claim on him anymore and that the level of concern she was feeling was the same that she would feel for any of her friends. She stood up, pacing across the plush carpet.

"Are you still there?" Marshall asked.

"I'm here," she finally managed to get out. "What can I do?"

"The doctors need some decisions about how to proceed," he told her.

She snorted. "And why are you calling me about this?" she asked. "I have no authority to make any decisions about him."

"Yes, you do."

"We're divorced, Marshall. Remember?"

"Actually, you're not," the lawyer corrected softly.

"Yeah, we are," she argued, trying not to let him hear the tears that threatened. "He asked for it, had the papers drawn up, and I signed them."

"And you sent them to him to file."

"Exactly. I was out of the country and he said he'd take care of getting them filed with the court." She dropped back into her chair as she suddenly realized what she was being told. "You're saying he never filed them."

"Apparently not," he replied, sounding almost apologetic. "I was at his place yesterday, looking through some legal papers for a power of attorney or a medical power of attorney. The only ones I could find were the ones that you had signed after the two of you got married."

"I never filled out new ones either," she argued. "That doesn't mean we're still married."

"But I also found the divorce papers in there," he told her. "They had your signature, but not his."

"Probably just a copy," she answered. "We were supposed to keep a copy, right?"

"These were the originals, Robin. Besides," he continued before she could, "I did a records check. The courts have no record of the papers ever having been filed. In the eyes of the law, you and Barney are still married, Robin."

_I'd appreciate knowing what you thought of this. Should I continue? _

_Thanks for reading. Time to finish the next chapter of something else I'm in the middle of._


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow. I was absolutely blown away by the response to this story. I'm humbled by your kind reactions. You are all wonderful and I appreciate you so much. **

**Clearly, I don't own anything having to do with HIMYM or I wouldn't be writing this as the ending would have been much more satisfying. **

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as you did the last. I think I had said something in the last chapter about Ellie being about 2 years old. I decided to up that, so she's about 4.**

Alternative 2

XOXOX

Robin walked through the gate after clearing customs to find Marshall waiting for her. He spotted her and immediately moved to meet her, wrapping his arms tightly around her. She responded in kind, reveling in the feel of his arms.

Barney's hugs had always held an element of danger and promise, something about to happen. Ted's had been hopeful, filled with might-be and might-have-beens. Marshall, though. Marshall always made her feel safe. Protected. Cherished.

She hoped his girls understood how special that was.

He finally released her, reaching to take her bag. "Do you know which carousel your bags are supposed to be arriving on?" he asked.

"That's all I brought," she told him, indicating the bag on his shoulder.

He hefted the bag, raising an eyebrow. "Lily takes more than this when we go out to dinner."

She shrugged. "When you've traveled as much as I have, you learn to pack quick and travel light."

Taking her hand, he led her through the crowd. When he slowed due to a knot of people, Robin took the lead, forcing others aside in her determination. Marshall followed, twisting left and right to offer apologies to her victims.

"Heading to the hospital," he hollered.

In the cab, she turned to face him.

"How are they doing?" she asked.

"Ellie's doing okay. They'll probably release her in the next day or so. She had some scrapes and bruises and a pretty good bump on the head. They've been watching her because of that. She'll be staying with us for a while."

"Won't that be pretty crowded?" Robin asked, thinking of how full their apartment already was.

Marshall shrugged. "We'll manage. Lily says she needs us."

"And Barney? Any improvement?"

He shook his head. "No. He's still in a coma. The doctors seem to think the swelling is getting worse. They want to try a surgical procedure, but they need your approval to do it."

She shook her head. "I just don't understand this, Marshall. Why wouldn't he have filed the papers?"

"I don't know," he answered. "I never really understood why there were papers to file in the first place. What happened to get you two to that point?"

She shrugged and looked out the window. "I'm not really entirely sure myself, Marshall. We had been having some adjustment issues, but things just really seemed to completely fall apart when we were in Argentina. That was a really bad time for me, you know, after..."

She let the sentence trail off, looking at him. He nodded his understanding and squeezed her hand.

"I probably shouldn't have gone on that assignment. It was too soon."

"Yes, it was. You needed some time," he agreed.

"But I just wanted to forget. To get things back to normal. Work had always done that for me." She paused, chewing on her lip for a moment. "I guess this was just too big, too emotional."

Marshall continued stroking her hand. "Did you ever tell him?"

She shook her head. "No. I couldn't. I had thought that I could when we were there, but he seemed so distant, so cold. I know, I was probably just projecting my own emotions on to him."

The lawyer considered for a moment. "I don't think so, Robin. I seem to remember noticing a few days before you left that he seemed tense and upset about something."

"It seemed like anything I did upset him and anything he did irritated me. We were either fighting or having sex. Sometimes both." Her gaze moved to the window again. "We had gone to dinner one night and when we were going back to the hotel, there were a bunch of kids playing soccer in the square. The ball rolled over to us, and instead of just kicking it back, he joined their game. No worries about getting his suit dirty. He was having so much fun, laughing and playing with them. And then there was the baby in the room across the hall. Every time he'd see her, he'd laugh and flirt with her."

She finally met Marshall's gaze again. "I think he had realized how much he was giving up by being with me. How much he really wanted to be a father."

"You think?" Marshall asked. "You didn't ask him what was going on?"

"I couldn't, Marshall. We never talked about things like you and Lily. I just knew that he was miserable and angry. I just hated seeing him like that. I offered him an out, hoping that he'd tell me that it wasn't me. That something was going on with work or with his blog or that one of his favorite suits had been damaged."

She took a deep breath. "But I guess it was me, because he said he wanted out."

"Apparently, not really," he replied.

"I just don't understand. He said he wanted out. He got a lawyer and had the papers drawn up. He had them delivered to me, and made sure to tell me to take them to the embassy to get notarized. He even sent along a prepaid return envelope. So, why would he have not filed them?"

Marshall shook his head. "Maybe he had second thoughts."

"Then he should have talked to me instead of starting to hit on anything with a vagina," she answered.

"Yeah, he should have. But, as you said yourself, the two of you were never very big on talking."

When the cab arrived at the hospital, he helped her out, directing her up to Barney's room. She looked at the man in the bed, almost forgetting to breathe. He looked so different. His head had been shaved, his face was swollen and bruised. Tubes and wires ran from every area of his body. One arm was casted. She walked to his bedside, reaching to touch one puffy hand, careful not to disturb the IV that was connected to it.

The worst part was the stillness. Barney had always radiated so much energy. She remembered so many times watching him sleep, always some part of him moving. Even after he had been hit by the bus, there was still that energy flowing off of him. Now, it was gone.

She panicked briefly, looking to the monitors, then his chest to be sure that he was still breathing. Marshall rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll go let the doctor know you're here," he told her.

She nodded, still not able to find her voice. Taking a steadying breath, she reached out to gently stroke his cheek, relieved to find it warm. She ran her hand down his arm, finally resting it in his curled fingers.

When Marshall returned with the doctor, she quickly turned to greet them. The man introduced himself, then escorted her to his office where he explained Barney's condition. The swelling in his brain seemed to be getting slightly worse, increasing the pressure. At this point, it wasn't urgent enough that they could simply proceed without consent, but if they waited for it to reach those levels, the odds of success started to decrease rapidly.

She listened carefully, taking notes and asking questions. Yes, the doctor told her, there was a risk to the surgery, and there was the possibility that the swelling could start to decrease without them taking action. His opinion was that they needed to go ahead and move within the next 24 hours to give him the best chance. He emailed her links to some articles and asked her to let him know as soon as she had reached a decision.

As they walked back to Barney's room, she looked at Marshall. "What do you think?"

"I don't know, Robin. It seems like a pretty risky procedure, but there's another set of risks if you don't let them proceed." When she sighed, he hugged her. "You have our full support, whatever you decide to do. Clearly, Barney still trusts you."

She looked at him questioningly. "How can you say that?"

"Because Barney Stinson is not careless or forgetful. If he didn't file the divorce papers, he had a reason. The same goes for his power of attorney. If he didn't change it, it's because he still trusts you to look out for him, no matter what happened between you."

She stopped at the foot of his bed, staring at her ex...her estranged husband. Marshall continued.

"Probably the same reason you never changed yours," he added.

She noticed Marshall look at his watch, and she glanced at her own. "You probably need to get to work, don't you?" she asked him.

"I can stay if you need me," he answered.

"And I can also call you if I need you," she told him. "You've got a family to support. I'm sure you've already taken time off."

Nodding agreement, he looked at her. "If you're sure?"

"Go," she told him with a shooing motion. "I've got some research and some thinking to do. I'll give you a call if anything changes."

"Thanks," he told her with a hug. "Oh, and Ellie's in the pediatric ward, if you want to check up on her," he added, giving her directions and the room number.

She watched him go, her thoughts turning to the little girl. Her thoughts were torn regarding Barney's daughter. She had only met her a few times, finding herself charmed by the child. Ellie had an outgoing, loving nature and had taken a liking to her father's ex wife. According to Lilly, Ellie had become a big fan of WWN, stopping whatever she was doing to watch intently whenever Robin would come on. On occasion, Barney had called her, telling her that Ellie couldn't sleep and asked if Robin could read to her.

As with the Mosby and Erickson children, Robin sent cards, letters, and small gifts from all over the world. The relationship was a bit more difficult. Barney's joy at fatherhood was a painful reminder of the most important thing she had ever failed at.

This wasn't about her, though. This was about Barney, and a little girl, probably frightened and alone in a hospital. Okay, probably not alone very much. Unless her friends had changed more than she knew, she figured that Ellie had plenty of company.

But she should check on her. As Marshall said, Barney trusted her. And nothing was more important to Barney than that little girl.

She grabbed her bag and told the nurse where she was going, making sure that they had her cell number in case they needed to reach her.

The pediatric wing was bright and colorful, but it still had the smell and feel of a hospital. She stopped at the desk, greeting the nurse there.

"I'm Robin Scherbatsky. Stinson. I'm looking for Ellie Stinson." The nurse looked at her, eyes widening slightly.

"Mrs. Stinson. I guess Mrs. Erickson spoke with you. I'll take you to Ellie and let the doctor know that you're here," she told her, jumping up and leading her down the hall before she could respond.

What would Lily have spoken with her about?

The nurse ushered her into the child's room, then turned and quickly exited. Confused, Robin turned her gaze to the bed, her eyes lighting on the bright golden curls of the small figure stretched out there. A broad, white bandage was taped to her forehead, her fair skin almost as pale. Her right arm was encased in an even brighter, white cast.

Cast? Marshall hadn't said anything about a broken arm.

The door opened, admitting the nurse, and a couple of men, one in a white coat. One cleared his throat and stepped forward, holding out his hand and introducing himself as Dr. Williams.

"I wasn't aware she had a broken arm," Robin commented, puzzled.

He looked at the bed, then glanced back at the other two. Something was wrong here.

"You want to tell me how that happened?" she asked suspiciously. "It wasn't from the accident, was it?"

The man finally shook his head. "No, Mrs. Stinson, it wasn't. She tried to climb out of bed this morning and took a fall."

Robin looked at the bed. "Were the rails up?"

"We're trying to determine that, Mrs. Stinson. Our procedures are that that is double checked before the nurse leaves, even when the child is asleep, as Ellie was at the time. But it was down when we found her. It may not have latched properly when it was pulled up."

"How long was she in the floor before you found her?" Robin asked, getting more and more agitated.

"We found her immediately," the doctor assured her. "She was being monitored from the desk and the nurse saw it happen and called for help. We informed Mrs. Erickson, who is listed as the emergency contact, and got permission to take her for x-rays and to set the break."

Robin nodded. "Lilly is on her way?"

"Yes, ma'am," the nurse told her.

At that moment, a soft cry from the bed drew their attention. Ellie was struggling to sit up, a confused look on her face. Robin set her bag down and quickly crossed to her side, gently reaching out to touch her soft curls.

"It's okay, Ellie," she told the girl softly.

Ellie looked at her, her eyes glazed with pain.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked.

The doctor stepped up next to her. "Don't worry, Mrs. Stinson. She didn't hit her head hard enough to make her forget things. She didn't even lose consciousness."

Ellie continued to study her, sticking her thumb in her mouth and sucking it for a few moments as the considered.

The doctor released the latch on the bed railing, nodding to Robin. "You can pick her up."

Blue eyes met blue eyes and the four year old stretched out her arms to the woman standing next to her.

"Mommy!"

**Okay. That's it for now. Please let me know what you thought. I adore feedback. I'll try to have more soon, if you like. I actually had a couple of different ideas on directions to go with this and finally decided on one, but that means this other idea is still incubating in the corner of my mind and may end up as its own story. Not that I need another story. Maybe I need a beta/sounding board to bounce these things off of. Sorry. Rambling. Must get back to the Avengers. Need to post an update there this weekend also.**


	3. Chapter 3

_I am so feeling the love from you all. I am so happy with the response that this story has received. You guys absolutely make my day. I apologize for the long delay since the last chapter. I'm probably trying to juggle too many stories, but I really love them all and love the feedback I get from each group of readers. Here's hoping this was worth the wait._

Alternative 3

"WHAT?" a voice exclaimed. All eyes turned to the the doorway where Lily stood, hands on her hips and fire in her eyes. Ellie whimpered softly, still holding her arms out.

Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, Robin tentatively reached out, cautiously lifting the little girl and pulling her close. The nurse took her elbow, steering her to the comfortable recliner in the corner of the room. With a soft sigh, the child stuck the thumb of her good hand into her mouth, closed her eyes, and snuggled up against Robin.

Lily swallowed her questions and crossed to the bed, gathering a stuffed rabbit and a bright, yellow fleece blanket. She tucked the well worn bunny under the casted arm and stroked the little girl's cheek. Her eyes opened again and she focused on the redhead.

"Hi, An' Lily," she said drowsily.

"Hi, little one. Do you want to sit with me?" she asked, holding out her arms.

Ellie looked at her, then up at Robin again before shaking her head and settling back against the other woman.

"Mama," she murmured softly.

Lily looked at Robin, her eyebrow raised in question. 'Mama?' she mouthed, gently tucking the soft blanket around the child.

The dark haired woman shrugged, careful not to disturb the precious bundle in her lap.

The look on Lily's face warned that this matter would be revisited, then she turned the full force of her glare to the group from the hospital.

"Do you want to explain to me just exactly what the hell happened to this child that you were entrusted with?" she asked, her anger clear in every word.

"We're not entire sure, Mrs. Erickson," the doctor started to explain.

"You're not sure?" she exploded. "She has a bandage on her head and a cast on her arm that weren't there when I left her last night! She's in worse shape now than she was when she was brought in by ambulance a few days ago!"

"We understand that you're upset, Mrs. Erickson. Mrs. Stinson. This is an extremely regrettable circumstance and I assure you that we are committed to finding out exactly what happened and how we can prevent it from happening again," the man in the suit told them.

"I'd be interested in hearing about that," a deep voice interrupted.

Again, all eyes turned to the doorway, eying the man who had just entered. Ellie's eyelids lifted and she turned her head.

"Unca' Marshall," she said with a small smile.

He walked over to them, squatting in front of the chair. "How're you doing, Peanut?" he asked, his voice gentle.

"Hurts," she told him, holding up her arm.

"I know it does. I'm sorry," he told her, kissing her forehead as he rose, smiling at Robin before turning to rejoin his wife. "I got your text just before I got to the office," he told her. "I told my boss what was going on and he told me to get back here as fast as I could."

He drew himself to his full height and fastened his gaze on the group from the hospital. "Now. I believe that you were about to explain what happened to Ellie," he said.

The doctor sighed heavily. "Is this everyone? Because I have other things to do than to keep explaining the same things over and over."

Before Lily could explode, Robin spoke up. "In addition to being a really good friend, Mr. Erickson is also an attorney," she told the staff members, her glare locked on the doctor. She hadn't really said that he was her attorney or that he was representing her or Ellie. If they chose to believe that...

Apparently, they did. The change of attitude was almost comical. The man in the suit quickly stepped forward, his hand extended. "Mr. Erickson. Pleased to meet you. I'm Gordon Willoughby. I'm with the hospital risk management department."

"Of course you are," Marshall replied, shaking the man's hand.

"I want to assure you all that we are every bit as concerned as you are about what happened to Miss Stinson"

"I seriously doubt that," Lily interrupted.

"And we will do everything in our power to make things right," Willoughby continued.

Sighing heavily, Ellie lifted her head and looked at the group with a frown on her small, pale face.

"Would it be possible to have this conversation later?" Robin asked. "Or somewhere else? I think Ellie needs some quiet so she can rest."

"Of course," the lawyer agreed. "We can continue this in my office, if you'd like." He looked from Marshall to Robin.

Both knew that she had no legal standing where the little girl was involved, but she was concerned that admitting to that might keep her from even getting to see her. Marshall and Lily were her legal custodians while Barney was incapacitated.

Marshall offered a solution. "How about if I talk to him, Robin? I can fill you in later. I think Ellie needs you right now."

She nodded agreement, smiling her thanks at the lifeline he offered. "Thanks, Marshall. That would be wonderful."

When Lily started to follow them out, she was stopped by a panicked hiss.

"Lily!"

She turned back to see Robin's pleading gaze.

"Please, don't leave me." She nodded towards the now sleeping child in her lap. "What if something happens? What if she wakes up crying? Or...wanting her snappy or something?"

"Her snappy? What's that?" Lily asked.

"Exactly!" Robin answered. "I have no idea what she might want!"

Lily smiled at her nervous friend. "Right now, it looks like what she wants is you."

"Which I seriously don't understand either," the other woman answered. "She barely knows me."

"Barely knows her 'mama'?" Lily replied, her eyebrow climbing again.

"And I do not know where that came from," Robin said defensively. "I never told her that and I can't imagine Barney ever telling her that I was her mother."

"Me, either," the petite redhead mused, perching on the edge of the bed to study them. "She's never said anything about her mother that I've heard and Barney has never mentioned her asking about her."

"She hasn't been in contact?" Robin asked curiously.

"Not that I'm aware of. My understanding is that she wanted an acting career and gave up all parental rights when she took off when Ellie was a few months old."

"He's an amazing daddy, isn't he?"

Lily smiled softly. "He is. We've all tried to help out, but he's determined to do as much as possible for her by himself. He was clearly meant to be a daddy and she's the center of his universe."

Robin swallowed hard. Surely, Lily had to know how much that statement would hurt her, but she saw no regret on the other woman's face. In fact, Lily looked slightly pleased with herself. Before Robin could broach the subject with her, Ellie raised her head again, her face extremely pale and her face covered with a fine sheen of sweat.

"I don't feel so good," she whispered softly.

"What's wrong?" Robin probed.

Lily pushed the nurse call button, recognizing the signs. She grabbed a plastic pan from the bedside table and rushed towards them.

"She's going to"

Suddenly no explanation was needed as Ellie heaved, emptying the contents of her stomach all over herself and Robin.

"Throw up," Lily finished, shoving the pan under the girl's chin just in time to catch the last mouthful.

The nurse hurried in, her eyes taking in the scene.

"We need the doctor! She's sick!" Robin told her, her eyes wide with fear.

"It's okay," the nurse assured her. "Sometimes, the pain medication can cause some nausea. I'll have the doctor order anti-nausea medication to go with her next dose."

"I'm sorry," the little girl said, her lip trembling and her eyes filling with tears. "I din't mean to trow up on you."

Seeing how upset she was, Robin tried to comfort her. "It's okay, Ellie. I've thrown up on lots of people and usually with not nearly as good a reason."

"She has," Lily agreed as she and the nurse started to carefully clean up the mess. "So have I." Bunny had, thankfully, been covered by the blanket and had avoided the mess. The fleece blanket and Ellie's gown were removed and placed in a laundry bag. The nurse called out the door and an orderly came in with bathing supplies and a clean gown.

"Are you going to need something to change into?" she asked Robin as she started cleaning up the little girl. "We can round up some clean scrubs if you do."

"No," Robin told her. "I came straight from the airport." She grabbed her bag and went into the bathroom, quickly changing into a t-shirt and pair of yoga pants. She was rinsing her dress in the sink when there was a knock at the door. Opening it, she found Lily standing there with a plastic bag. Nodding her thanks, she stuffed the dress into the bag, sealed it, then put it in her carryon bag.

When she got back to the room, Ellie had been cleaned up and had fallen asleep, Bunny resting next to her. Robin walked over to look at her, stroking her soft cheek before lightly shaking the bed rail, making sure it was secure. Walking around the bed, she checked the other side as well.

Lily watched her, smiling. "I already did that."

"Oh."

"So did the nurse."

"Okay."

"And the orderly."

Robin blushed, shrugging. "Just wanted to be sure."

"That's a good thing. She needs as many people as possible looking out for her."

Robin nodded.

Lily settled in a chair. "I can stay with her for a few hours, if you want to go get checked in at your hotel," she said, pulling out a book.

"That's okay," Robin answered, pulling out her laptop. "I've got some reading to do. Barney's doctor gave me some information on this surgical procedure he thinks will help and I need to research."

Marshall stopped back in the room before heading to work. He told them that arrangements had been made regarding the remainder of Ellie's hospital stay and for her rehabilitation. He also reassured Robin that he and Lily would support whatever decision she made about Barney.

The next several hours passed quietly. Both women took brief breaks to run to the cafeteria for some food and to check up on Barney. Robin spoke with his doctor several times, getting updates on his condition. It was slowly deteriorating and she knew a decision would need to be made soon. She even placed a call to the WWN medical expert to get another opinion.

Ellie woke briefly for a light meal and another dose of pain medication and something for nausea. She quickly drifted back to sleep under the watchful eyes of her aunts and they both went back to their solitary pursuits.

When Lily's phone rang, she answered it with a smile. Her smile quickly disappeared. "What do you mean you forgot your project is due tomorrow?" She listened for a few minutes. "Daisy, I'm sorry, but I can't leave yet. Tracy won't be here for a couple of hours." She listened again. "Can't Judy or Mickey help you with it?"

Robin watched her.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I can help you when I get home, but it's going to be a while yet."

"What's wrong?" Robin asked.

Lily covered the phone. "Daisy needs my help with a project, but I can't leave until Tracy gets her."

"Why not?"

The redhead pointed at the child. "Clearly, the staff here isn't keeping a close enough eye on her."

"I'm here," Robin reminded her.

"Yeah, but you're..."

Robin crossed her arms, waiting for Lily to finish the statement. "What? Incompetent?"

"No, but..."

"I think I can manage for a couple of hours," Robin said tersely. "If I have to, I can always call for help. Isn't that what the little button is for? I'll even make a note to remind myself," she added, grabbing pen and writing on the back of her hand.

'In case of emergency, press nurse call button'

After a moment, Lily nodded. "I'm sorry. Of course you can handle it." She picked the phone up again. "Actually, Robin is here so I'll go ahead and come home now and we can get to work on it."

After a few more minutes, she hung up. Putting her phone in her purse, she walked over to Robin. "I'm really sorry. I know you're perfectly capable." She leaned over, hugging the other woman.

"I'm sorry, too, Lily. I know I haven't been around for you guys these last few years and you've gotten used to not being able to depend on me."

"I know this has got to be tough for you." They both looked at the child sleeping in the bed.

"You have no idea," Robin whispered.

With a final hug, Lily exited, and Robin returned to her reading. A little later, a small cry drew her attention away from the screen. Ellie was tossing and turning, crying softly in her sleep. The woman went to the bedside, trying to soothe her with soft words. She continued to whimper softly.

When a nurse poked her head in to check on her, Robin looked at her helplessly. The nurse noted the girls vitals, then smiled.

"Her Aunt Lily sometime gets into the bed with her," she told her, showing her the lever to lower the bedside rail.

After she left, Robin kicked off her shoes and slowly climbed onto the bed, wrapping her arms around the little girl. Though she quieted somewhat, she was still restless. Taking a deep breath, Robin started singing softly, finally feeling Ellie starting to relax.

She started awake, aware of being watched. It took her a few moments to realize where she was, finally spotting Tracy standing at the foot of the bed.

"Hey," the woman whispered at her.

Robin nodded a response, carefully extricating herself from the bed and getting up, pulling the rail back into position. Tracy came to her side, wrapping her arms around her.

The taller woman stiffened for a moment, then relaxed, returning the embrace.

"It's so good to see you again, Robin. I just hate that it took this to bring you back."

"Me, too," Robin told her. "I kept planning to come for a visit, but things keep coming up and my plans get moved back and..."

"I know. We understand," Tracy assured her.

"You know, I'm fine staying here with her tonight," Robin told her. "I know you would rather be home with Ted and the kids."

"It's fine," she replied, holding up her laptop bag. "This is actually the perfect time for me to get some writing done. At home, I keep thinking of things I need to do. Here, there's less to sidetrack me. Besides, you need to get some rest and a shower," she told the other woman, holding her nose and waving her hand as though to redirect the odor.

Robin sniffed. "I don't smell that bad."

"You smell pretty bad," came a small voice from the bed.

They turned to the bed to find Ellie grinning up at them. "Daddy says smellin' good's as mportant as lookin' good," she mumbled drowsily.

"Can't argue with that," Tracy shrugged.

"I guess I can't," Robin answered, biting her lip as she looked at the girl, already sleeping again. "If you're sure you'll be okay?"

Tracy looked at her. "I think I can handle things."

"Of course you can," Robin said with a laugh. "Better than I can. Sorry. Guess I am pretty wiped out."

"I'm sure you are, hon," Tracy answered with a hug. "Go home. Get some rest."

"I need to talk to Barney's doctor first," she told her. "I'm going to tell him to go ahead with the surgery." She watched the other woman, waiting for her reaction.

Tracy nodded. "I'm really sorry that you got placed in that position. It's a tough decision to make, especially when things have been the way they've been between you."

Robin felt herself tearing up, touched by the understanding.

"Just let us know when they're doing the surgery and we'll be there."

"Thank you."

"As long as you want us there," she added quickly. "If you don't want us there, we'll stay away."

"No," Robin assured her, "I know you all care about him, too. You guys are more family to him than I am, even though I'm still legally his wife."

Tracy hugged her again, then pushed her towards the door. "Just let me know if I can do anything for you," she reminded the other woman.

After a meeting with the doctor, she sent out texts, letting the others know that they would be starting the surgery at 10 am the next morning, then hailed a cab and collapsed in the back seat, closing her eyes as the pondered the events of the last few days.

When the cab driver announced they had arrived at their destination, she handed him some money and grabbed her bag, stepping out onto the sidewalk. Only after he drove away did she realize that her exhausted mind had given him Barney's address. She pulled out her phone to call for another cab, only to find it dead.

As she pondered her options, the sky suddenly opened up, the rain pounding down. She made a dash for the door, standing in the lobby to watch the storm. Thinking about the key tucked away in the pocket of her wallet, she idly wondered if it would still work in the door of his apartment. On a whim, she stepped into the elevator and pushed the button.

She would just plug her phone in long enough to charge it up so she could call for a taxi.

If her key worked.

Which it probably wouldn't.

Surely, he had changed the locks.

She was somewhat surprised when the key turned easily and the door swung open. Even her alarm code still worked. She turned on the lights, noticing the changes in the once gray fortress. The last real home she had had.

A small pair of splatter painted rain boots sat by the door next to a purple backpack with a picture of a fairy on it.

A teddy bear and a naked baby doll sat on the coffee table, sharing a tea party.

She walked back down the hall, drawn to what had once been a home office. The opened door revealed a child's paradise in bright, primary colors. The stormtrooper stood guard over a toddler bed, a sparkly tiara perched on the top of his helmet and a pink feather boa draped loosely around his neck.

Continuing down the hall, she found herself in Barney's bedroom. While she was a little hesitant to enter and things had changed some, she still had the odd feeling of coming home. She lifted her suitcase onto the bed, pulling out her charger.

She paused for a moment, reminding herself that she was back in the US and selecting the proper adapter for the chargers. Plugging in her phone and laptop, she watched the battery indicator showing that they were charging. As she fought not to doze off, she realized that Ellie and Tracy were right.

She stank.

Grabbing some clean clothes, she headed into the bathroom, telling herself that Barney wouldn't mind her making use of his shower. She stood under the hot water, feeling her body starting to relax. Noticing the bottle of body wash, she picked it up, opening it to breathe deeply.

The same one he had used all those years ago.

Closing her eyes, she imagined him there with her, arms wrapped around her, holding her close.

Except that he wasn't. And he wouldn't.

With a loud cry, she threw the bottle at the wall, watching it bounce to the shower floor, spilling out to run down the drain. That only made things worse as the scent began to fill the small room. With tears running down her face, she dropped to her knees, picking the bottle up and closing it, letting her head fall forward as she sobbed.

Finally, completely spent, she rose, finishing her shower and slipping into the sweats she had brought with her. Determined to focus, she gathered the clothes and towels from the bathroom floor and the dress from her bag and dumped everything into the washing machine.

Shouldn't take very long.

Heading back to the bedroom, she checked on her phone. Still pretty low. Should be charged by the time her clothes finished washing. She could hang them up to dry in the hotel.

The long day started to catch up with her and she felt her eyelids drifting closed.

Fought to lift them again.

Checked the time.

So tired.

It wouldn't hurt to close her eyes just for a few minutes.

A power nap should be alright.

Her lids drifted closed again and the darkness claimed her.

_That's it for now. Thank you for your time. I'll try to update again soon. Please let me know what you thought. Your feedback encourages me more than you know._

_Now, back to my Avenger stories. I'd love your feedback on those as well, if you're so inclined._


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